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Start writing poetry, today

Join us in reading, writing, editing and translating poetry, in year-long courses, short courses, workshops, one-day sessions, seminars, tutorials and every variety of learning in between – in our classrooms, off site and online.

For more information and FAQs about how our courses work, please go to our In-Person Courses, Video Courses and Online Courses pages.

All our Courses

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Tutor: Giulia Ottavia Frattini

Poetry as Apocalypse in Language Studio

Unveiling the unseen for revelatory, experimental poetics.

Start Date: February 24, 2025
End Date: March 24, 2025 ( 29 Days )
Type: Online

£95.00 *

Tutor: Abbi Parcell

Women, Writing, & Place

Use your writing to explore personal identity and the intersections that shape us.

Start Date: March 1, 2025
End Date: March 15, 2025 ( 15 Days )
Type: Video

Conditions of Invisibility & Creation of the Self, after Gboyega Odubanjo

£80.00 *

Tutor: Rachel Long

Conditions of Invisibility & Creation of the Self, after Gboyega Odubanjo

Gboyega: Locating selfhood, seen-ness, and invisibility in Adam. Decent.

Start Date: March 11, 2025 6.30pm
End Date: March 25, 2025 ( 15 Days )
Type: Video

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Tutor: Katrina Naomi

What Makes a Collection?

From manuscript to collection – what to know as you prepare for submission.

Start Date: March 15, 2025 10.30am
End Date: March 15, 2025 ( 1 Day )
Type: In-person • Location: The Bindery, London

Fragmentation: Making & Unmaking Poetry [Spring 2025]

£95.00 *

Tutor: Becky Varley-Winter

Fragmentation: Making & Unmaking Poetry [Spring 2025]

Blow-up to glow-up; use non-traditional means to make magic fragmented poems.

Start Date: March 15, 2025 10.30am
End Date: March 15, 2025 ( 1 Day )
Type: In-person • Location: The Bindery, London

£55.00 *

Tutor: Eve Grubin

Writing What Can’t Be Said

Risk and reward – saying un-sayable things.

Start Date: March 20, 2025 2–4.30pm
End Date: March 20, 2025 ( 1 Day )
Type: Video

Poetry & Divination: Generating Poems Through Ritual & Symbol

£55.00 *

Tutor: Oakley Flanagan

Poetry & Divination: Generating Poems Through Ritual & Symbol

Explore divination as a daily ritual that can be incorporated into any writers’ practice.

Start Date: April 7, 2025 6.30–9pm
End Date: April 7, 2025 ( 1 Day )
Type: Video

£55.00 *

Tutor: Pẹ̀lúmi Obasaju

The Lyrical Eye

Find poetry in everything as we explore the lyric form.

Start Date: April 8, 2025 6.30–9pm
End Date: April 8, 2025 ( 1 Day )
Type: Video

£55.00 *

Tutor: Christy Ku

Serving Looks: The Poetics of Clothing

Delve into the fabric of what we wear and why to serve fire new looks in your poetry.

Start Date: April 9, 2025 6.30–9pm
End Date: April 9, 2025 ( 1 Day )
Type: Video

Lunchtime Epiphanies: Writing Inspired by the Everyday

£55.00 *

Tutor: Rory Aaron

Lunchtime Epiphanies: Writing Inspired by the Everyday

Discover the art of capturing fleeting moments and imbuing them with poetic significance.

Start Date: April 10, 2025 6.30–9pm
End Date: April 10, 2025 ( 1 Day )
Type: Video

Into The Woods: A Poetic Exploration of Stephen Sondheim

£55.00 *

Tutor: A.C. Smith

Into The Woods: A Poetic Exploration of Stephen Sondheim

'Into the woods without delay / But careful not to lose the way.'

Start Date: April 11, 2025 6.30–9pm
End Date: April 11, 2025 ( 1 Day )
Type: Video

£55.00 *

Tutor: Kaz Reeves

Voiced Up! Finding Your Poetic Voice

Challenge and choice in developing your voice.

Start Date: April 12, 2025 2–4.30pm
End Date: April 12, 2025 ( 1 Day )
Type: Video

£55.00 *

Tutor: William Wyld

The Poetry of Lying & Stealing

Free your practice as we dive into the murky waters of lying, stealing, & unreliable narration.

Start Date: April 13, 2025 2–4.30pm
End Date: April 13, 2025 ( 1 Day )
Type: Video

Delusions of Grandma: Rewriting the Family Narrative

£55.00 *

Tutor: kit griffiths

Delusions of Grandma: Rewriting the Family Narrative

Explore the unseen labour, life-long love, and private languages of family relationships.

Start Date: April 14, 2025 6.30–9pm
End Date: April 14, 2025 ( 1 Day )
Type: Video

Getting from A to B: The Poetry of Scraps

£55.00 *

Tutor: Jordan Hayward

Getting from A to B: The Poetry of Scraps

Take left turns and unusual routes, as we explode the expected in your poetic journey.

Start Date: April 15, 2025 6.30–9pm
End Date: April 15, 2025 ( 1 Day )
Type: Video

£55.00 *

Tutor: Erica Hesketh

Link & Change: An Introduction to Renga

Enjoy close exploration of this exquisite Japanese form.

Start Date: April 16, 2025 6.30–9pm
End Date: April 16, 2025 ( 1 Day )
Type: Video

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How it works

The Poetry School’s teaching year runs over three ‘terms’ – Autumn, Spring and Summer. Each term we offer around 40-50 courses and workshops that cater to a variety of levels, varying in length and subject matter. The course programme changes every term with more new courses, workshops and tutors, but often includes courses that run over three terms and popular repeats.

We offer both ‘classroom’ teaching (UK) and ‘virtual’ teaching (international). You can visit our In-Person Courses, Video Courses and Online Courses pages for more detailed information about course structures, process and what to expect.

Finding the right Course

Most of our courses and workshops accommodate writers with a wide range of experience, but some are specifically designed for beginners or more practicised poets.

Here are our definitions:

Beginner – Learning the ropes: beginning to write poetry.
Intermediate – Starting to develop your voice, generate more work and grow confident on the page.
Advanced – Able to confidently edit, hone, discuss and critique your poetry.

Our programme is developed around these three teaching levels, although we also offer many courses that are Open to all – courses aimed at all levels, often focusing on a specific theme or inspirational subject matter.

FAQ

How many courses can I take?

To ensure the best experience, we recommend taking no more than two courses per term. If you are interested in signing up to more, please email us at [email protected] to discuss the different course schedules.

What is poetry?

There is no one answer, and many, many people have their own ideas. Here are some definitions we like:

‘Literary work in which the expression of feelings and ideas is given intensity by the use of distinctive style and rhythm’ – OED

‘Poetry is a heightened imagistic use of language that does things to the heart and head’ – Grace Nichols

‘A made thing, a verbal construct, an event in language’ – Edward Hirsch

‘Poetry is memorable speech’ – W H Auden

‘Poetry does not explain life. It gives life to feeling and seeing’ – Sarah Stetie

‘Why, Sir, it is much easier to say what it is not’ – Samuel Johnson

I’m already publishing and performing poetry – what can you do to help me?

We have an expanding programme of projects and activities which seek to address the continuing professional development needs of practising poets, from residencies to enhanced publishing, editing and performance opportunities and beyond. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest details.

Will the Poetry School help me become a poet?

Since 1997, when the Poetry School was founded, our students have gone on to publish in magazines and online; they've produced pamphlets and books as poets and editors with publishers from the smallest independents to the largest commercial houses; they've won multiple prizes and awards; they've become poetry tutors themselves; they've moved on to take poetry MAs and PhDs.; they’ve set up performance nights, magazines, shows and events. While we can't guarantee that all students will go on to get published; serious engagement with the art and craft of poetry in the company of tutors and fellow students who are as passionate about the form as you are can only ever improve your chances of getting your work out to a wider audience.

Join us in reading, writing, editing and translating poetry, in year-long courses, short courses, workshops, one-day sessions, seminars, tutorials and every variety of learning in between – in our classrooms, off site and online.

All our Courses

Find a Course

How it works

Finding the right Course

FAQ

How many courses can I take?

What is poetry?

I’m already publishing and performing poetry – what can you do to help me?

Will the Poetry School help me become a poet?